Credit: The Associated Press

Michigan's Mitch McGary (4) knocks the ball away from Florida's Erik Murphy (33) during the first half of a regional final game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 31, 2013, in Arlington, Texas.

ATLANTA — Michigan had all season to improve its defense, yet it still looked hopeless as recently as the Big Ten tournament.

The Wolverines gave up 51 points in the second half of a loss to Wisconsin — not exactly a harbinger of good things to come with the NCAA tournament on deck.

"Even though it didn't look it to all of you — or to me sometimes, this year — we have worked on defense like crazy," coach John Beilein said this week.